


Dare To Move

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Angst, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Kissing, M/M, Mentions Of Infidelity, Sex, Weddings, arthur finally stands up to his father, merlin has good friends, uther is not a nice man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:02:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6751360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's really bad day seems to be improving after he meets Arthur and his friends in a bar. But with Arthur all set to marry someone else, is their relationship over before it's even begun?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dare To Move

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to Livejournal in 2011.

Merlin knew perfectly well that drinking was the last thing he ought to be doing. He also knew that he didn’t give a fuck.

He'd just been dumped. No, not even dumped. Spectacularly, humiliatingly, frustratingly had his heart ripped out and stomped on by some dick he hadn't been in love with for months. _Months!_ It should have been him doing the dumping, not bloody Will.

But when he'd said as much to his best friend Gwen, she'd just looked at him pityingly and patted his arm.

Which was the last thing that he had wanted.

So instead he was out at some ridiculous bar that was playing nothing but sodding '70s music, willing himself to get completely trashed, because he couldn't go to his favourite bar because Will was the manager and now on top of everything else he was going to have to find a new place to hang out.

And new friends, he realised, as he downed the shot the barman passed him without asking what it was. Because all of them, except Gwen, of course, who was loyal to a fault, were Will's friends first.

“Shit,” he said, and softly banged his head against the bar.

“We have a strict “you break it, you pay for it policy,” the barman said. “That goes for everything.”

“Sorry,” Merlin said, because his mother hadn't brought him up in a barn. “Just having a bad day.”

“I wouldn't have guessed,” the barman said and passed over another shot.

Merlin gave a small smile. “I haven't been asking for these.”

“You've been drinking them though.”

“Oh, well, yes,” Merlin said. He stared at the clear shot and then up at the barman. He had very pretty eyes. “I should probably stop now though.”

“I think you're probably right.” The barman went to move off and then paused. “'Cause the last five were just water, and you didn't notice.”

Merlin's face dropped. “Oh, great. I can't even get drunk properly.”

The barman laughed, but it wasn't a harsh laugh; it felt more like he was laughing with Merlin than at him, and Merlin found himself smiling despite the wound in his chest.

“Merlin,” Merlin said, extending a hand.

“Lance,” the barman said, merely raising an eyebrow slightly at Merlin's name, which Merlin thought was very definitely a hundred points in the man's favour. He'd had enough “can I see your wand” jokes this week alone to last him a lifetime. “Girl trouble?”

“Boy trouble,” Merlin said and Lance just nodded, which is the moment Merlin decided to award him infinite points.

“Here,” he pulled a pint and handed it over. “Drink's on me. Just go slow with it.” Then he went off to help some other customers and Merlin decided to get a grip on himself.

* * * * * *

The music finally switched to something more upbeat and modern around midnight, three hours after Merlin had first come in, though when “Bad Romance” started to blare out, Merlin genuinely wasn't sure whether it was a sign or not. The bit about revenge was starting to sound pretty good to him though, so it was probably a good thing Lance switched him to orange juice two hours ago.

“So, you found out about Will's new guy in his bar?” Lance said, and Merlin turned around to properly respond. He tried to ignore the blond that had sat down in the only free seat near him twenty minutes ago, ordered a pint, and had barely taken a sip from it since. But it was hard. The guy was bloody gorgeous.

“Yeah. Well, when he was sticking his tongue down New Guy's throat and pulling down his trousers in the store cupboard. Bit of a clue that.”

“Shit, I'm sorry,” Lance said. And the thing was, despite only just having met, Merlin knew that Lance was genuinely sorry, that he'd actually go out there and do _something_ just because Merlin had been hurt. Suddenly that wound didn't seem so gaping after all.

“Yeah, well, it was just the shock, you know? The being lied to. We hadn't really been properly...” He waved his hand in what he hoped was an all encompassing gesture for “getting on, shagging, kissing, speaking in full sentences”. “But still...”

“It _is_ the lies...” the blond next to them said, and Merlin turned, surprised. “They just eat and eat away at you.”

“Er, yeah,” Merlin said.

“Rough day, Arthur?” Lance asked, which clued Merlin in better than the bizarre eyebrow shifting thing Lance had done earlier that Arthur was a regular. And that clearly meant in Lanceworld that he was a friend too.

“Just found out some stuff. About my Dad. And my sister.”

“Didn't think you had a sister,” Lance said.

“Neither did I till this afternoon.”

Merlin and Lance both made identical shocked faces, their mouths making perfect “O's”. Any other time and Merlin would have found it hilarious. But Arthur looked so terribly dejected that the fact they're about as much strangers as he is with Lance doesn’t really factor in.

It's been that kind of day.

“I'm sorry about that,” Merlin said. “Do you...know...” He stopped, realising that perhaps this wasn't something Arthur wanted to talk about and really, it was none of his business, except the urge to try and help was almost overpowering.

“It's Morgana,” Arthur said to Lance, because clearly Merlin would have no idea who he was talking about. “Morgana.”

“Morgana,” Lance repeated, though, Merlin noted, he didn't look as surprised as perhaps he should.

“Who's Morgana?” Merlin asked, not really knowing why he was bringing himself into the conversation instead of trying to find a way out of it.

“My best friend,” Arthur said. “We'd been brought up together.” There was something suspiciously like a sob at the end of that, but Merlin didn't comment. Instead he focused on the way Lance had suddenly stilled and Merlin followed his eye line to see a pretty woman with long dark hair standing behind them.

“But that's good though. That you already like her, right?” Merlin said. He kept his eyes on the woman who was obviously Morgana and thought he saw her flick a brief smile at him, before focusing back on Arthur.

“It _is_ a good thing, isn't it?” she asked.

“Do you think one of your self-help books will be able to help with this?” Arthur said instead, swinging around on the barstool.

Morgana shrugged. “I think we could just help ourselves?” Despite her confident stance there was a vulnerability to Morgana that Merlin imagined would be very attractive. If he were into that sort of thing.

Instead, Morgana and Arthur moved as one into a hug and Lance relaxed and smiled and Merlin found himself doing the same. Which was ridiculous. Because what did he care if two strangers were friends again? Except he really, really did.

* * * * * *

Somehow the bar had closed and Merlin, Lance, Arthur and Morgana, (plus Gwen who'd come to find Merlin about an hour ago), were sitting in a corner booth, devouring the pizzas Gwen had brought with her. “Merlin always gets hungry after he drinks,” she'd said, and if Merlin hadn’t already suffered as much mortification today as was humanly possible, he would have been horrified.

(But then Morgana had said, “Oh, I know, Arthur gets so _maudlin_ when he drinks”, which had cheered him up no end.)

“So,” Gwen said, “why did your father decide to tell you tonight then?”

“It's my twenty-first at the weekend,” Morgana explained. “And apparently there's a condition on some money Uther's going to get for “looking after me” all these years; I have to know who my father is.” She pulled a face. “He really is a ridiculous man.”

Arthur looked like he was about to protest, then thought better of it. ”He really is,” he added after a moment, and Morgana patted him on the shoulder.

“Uther?” Merlin squawked, and suddenly everyone was looking at him.

“Yes,” Arthur said, “Uther Pendragon.”

“Right, yeah, didn’t think there were any other Uther's out there, thanks,” Merlin said, aware that he was suddenly babbling. That never boded well.

“Oh, oh,” said Gwen, and Merlin could practically see the light bulb hovering over her head. “Gaius' Uther.”

“You know Uncle Gaius?” Arthur said, flicking between Gwen and Merlin.

“Uh, yeah,” Merlin said. “He's my guardian.”

“Oh. My. God,” Morgana said. “You're the boy we used to play with. In the country house. We used to dress you up as a rag doll, 'cause your hair,” and then she waved and everyone found themselves nodding, because yes, the _hair_.

Merlin wondered, not for the first time that evening, whether people really could die of embarrassment, or if that was only a fate reserved for the lucky ones. Of which he was most definitely not.

“You used to go by Fay,” Merlin said to Morgana. “Or I would have realised sooner.”

“Oh, yes,” Morgana said, her bright red mouth forming into a more natural smile than he'd seen before. “I _did._ I wonder why?”

Arthur, who'd been staring at Merlin as if he were some interesting puzzle that was refusing to be solved, merely shrugged. “You always were a bit weird. Fixated on magic and fairies and goodness knows what. So were you, come to think of it.”

It was Merlin’s turn to shrug this time.

“And didn't you used to go by David?” Arthur said, a frown marring his face. Merlin's fingers twitched in his lap to reach out and smooth Arthur's brow, but he very manfully resisted.

“Wouldn't you if your mother had called you Merlin?” he replied.

“Point, well made,” Arthur agreed. Then he reached over with his leg and knocked playfully at Merlin's ankle. “Remember that tree house we made?”

“Yeah,” Merlin said with a smile, “with a rope ladder and everything.” He turned to Gwen, who was watching proceedings with more than a hint of amusement. “It was the most amazing thing ever. We used to spend hours up there...”

“Having tea parties,” Morgana interrupted. “Playing doctors and nurses. Getting engaged.”

Merlin's smile froze on his face and he could sense the way that Arthur was suddenly pulling back from the group, willing Morgana to be quiet.

“Aw, you and Merlin were engaged? That's adorable,” Gwen said.

“Oh, no, it wasn't _me_ Merlin got engaged to,” Morgana said. This time her smile did look downright evil.

There was a pointed silence which again, Gwen broke. “Oh my god, you and Arthur?” she said. “Oh, that explains so much.”

“What? No it doesn’t,” Merlin said, though he wasn't entirely sure what Gwen was talking about. He was still sure that she was wrong. About, whatever it was. Absolutely wrong on many, many levels.

Gwen just looked at him and he tried not to deflate too obviously.

“His boyfriend dumped him this evening. Or, er, yesterday,” Gwen said, noticing the time on the clock on the wall.

“Thanks, thanks, yes, let's talk about that some more shall we?” Merlin said. No one appeared to be listening.

“But he wasn’t in love with him,” Lance added, the first words he'd said in ages.

 _Traitor,_ Merlin thought in his direction.  
  
“And he didn’t exactly dump me as I caught him fucking his new boyfriend. Of six months.” If Merlin's words were tinged with more bitterness at himself than Will, well, that was nobody's business but his own. And really, sympathetic looks he could do without. So he loudly announced his intention to go to the toilet and hurried out the back.

* * * * * *

“Gwen thought you might have fallen down the loo. Glad to see you haven't,” Arthur said. He was staring at Merlin who was sitting on top of the toilet in one of the cubicles, studying his shoes.

“Ha bloody ha,” Merlin replied, without much mirth.

“It's not been the greatest day, has it?” Arthur said. He went to lean up against the wall and then, obviously thinking better of it, stood awkwardly in front of Merlin.

“I thought he was my friend,” Merlin found himself saying. “I don't even mind about the bloody boy-toy, but I thought we were friends as well as...” He shrugged and looked up to find that Arthur was studying him again.

“Life's full of surprises, I guess.” Arthur huffed a laugh. ”Either that or you shouldn't trust anybody. Morgana hasn't decided yet which one should be the new family motto.”

Despite himself, Merlin smiled. “How about “sins of the fathers are never forgotten”?”

“Always wear protection?” Arthur suggested. Then he realised that he was talking about his father and his face scrunched up in a way that Merlin filed away for later study, but which did not make Arthur look adorable. Nope.

When Arthur had finished his minor freak out he caught Merlin's eye and before they knew it they were dissolving into fits of giggles and it was just like they were children again, able to read each others' mind.

* * * * * *

Merlin was a long way from being drunk, but that still didn't explain why he couldn't remember how they'd got to Morgana's flat. Or indeed, why. Except here they all were, as if they'd always been, and Gwen was shooting hopeful glances in Lance's direction, before they both headed home (separately) in taxis, and Morgana was giving quite frankly disturbing open-mouthed kisses to Gwaine, her fiancé, and Merlin wasn't sure whether he wanted to look at Arthur all the time, or avoid looking at him all together.

Because, as he'd just learned, Morgana wasn't the only Pendragon with an upcoming wedding, and that gaping wound in his chest was suddenly very real again.

“It's not...it's not a _real_ wedding,” Arthur said. Merlin looked up from the TV. The others had drifted off to various bedrooms and Merlin had assumed Arthur had done the same. Gwaine had left Merlin a few blankets and assured him that the sofa was pretty comfortable, but he hadn't really wanted to sleep just yet.

“I don't need an explanation,” Merlin said. _We haven't seen each other since we were ten,_ he wanted to say, _how can what I think matter to you now?_

“Is it weird that I think you do?”

Merlin turned away so he couldn't see Arthur's expression. Or maybe so Arthur couldn't see his. “Maybe. A little bit.” Arthur sat down next to him, their arms bumping against each other. “It really isn't.”

“It's like I've just been...waiting...”

Merlin nodded. “But that's ridiculous. And you're getting married and we haven’t even...”

He had to stop talking as Arthur gently drew him into a soft kiss, his fingers rubbing against Merlin’s jaw. “She's a friend of my father's. She needs a visa and well...”

“You've always been a good son,” Merlin told him, with a vehemence that seemed to surprise them both.

“Maybe I should change that?” Arthur said.

Merlin licked his lips. “He's still your dad. You shouldn’t do anything that might...you shouldn’t...I don't want to be responsible for...”

But it became difficult for Merlin to talk when Arthur was looking at him like _that_ , and when his arms were around Merlin and pulling him closer and his stupidly gorgeous mouth was kissing all his words away, and his hands were suddenly everywhere. And Merlin didn't care about anything but the feel of Arthur's skin against his own, the soft press of lips to his neck and chest and then Arthur taking both their cocks in hand, gently, far too gently until Merlin used his nails on Arthur’s back to make him “move, dammit, just, please, need” and they were a frantic mess of limbs and heat and overwhelming desire, that sent them both over the edge far quicker than they might have liked, except “yes, yes, perfect” and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * * * * *

It took Merlin a good thirty seconds before he realised that the banging he could hear wasn't actually a sign his head was about to explode, but because someone was banging pots and pans about in the kitchen.

“I'm making a fry-up,” Gwaine shouted, in an obnoxiously cheerful voice and Merlin groaned into Arthur's chest before he realised what he was doing and slowly blinked himself awake. He looked up to find Arthur staring at him, his face frozen. A cold feeling settled in the pit of Merlin's stomach.

“Morning?” Merlin asked.

“Is it?” Arthur asked, then he coughed to clear his throat. “Right. Morning.”

They stared at each other for a beat before Arthur gently pushed Merlin off himself. “Toilet,” he said, and waved in the direction Merlin figured the bathroom was.

“Don't worry,” Gwaine said, frying pan in his hand, “he's not really a morning person.”

“Oh,” Merlin said. He looked down at himself, and then tried to locate the rest of his clothes, which were scattered all over the room. He was spared any further conversation with Gwaine by his phone ringing.

“Merlin,” he said into it, not bothering to look to see who was calling. Right now anybody was good.

“Hey, it's Will.” Oh, scrap that, maybe there was one other person he didn't want to talk to. “Merlin? You there?”

“Yeah,” he said, resigned to having _that conversation._ “I'm still here, Will.” He heard a sound behind him and turned to see Arthur hovering in the doorway. Merlin thought for a moment that back when they'd been kids, he'd have known exactly what the expression Arthur was wearing meant, but right now he was completely clueless.

“Great,” Will said, “I just wanted to say you know, no hard feelings.”

Merlin turned away from gazing at Arthur to stare instead at his phone, before he replaced it to his ear. “No hard feelings? No hard feelings?”

“Look, I know, all right, I should have told you...”

“You think?”

“But it just happened, you know and anyway, you didn't come home last night so I figured you'd got laid. Right? That is your freshly fucked voice, isn't it?”

Any other day Merlin would have laughed and agreed with him. But today was apparently going to be just as bad as the day before. “You're at the flat?” he asked instead.

There was a strained silence. “Well, it's in my name.”

“Yeah.” Merlin cursed himself as being an idiot. A trusting, pathetic idiot. “You want me to move out then?”

“You don’t have to,” Will said, but Merlin could hear New Guy, in the background, hissing that of course Merlin should bloody move out.

“I'll get my stuff when you're at work,” Merlin said and then hung up. Boyfriend-less and homeless in less than 24 hours. It had to be some sort of record.

* * * * * *

Breakfast was surprisingly good, and Merlin decided to re-evaluate his opinion of Gwaine; there was clearly more to the man than just being more cheerful in the morning than should be humanly possible. And he and Morgana were clearly besotted with each other.

He kept shooting looks at Arthur, but Arthur's expression remained stunned throughout the meal and once he had finished he got up and left with only a nod at those still eating.

Merlin took a sip of lukewarm coffee and tried to keep the hurt from his own face. Gwaine took the mug from Merlin's hand and refilled it.

“He's just a bit shell-shocked. He'll come around.”

“Come around to what?” Merlin asked.

“Realising he's still gay after all.”

Merlin frowned. “I – what?”

“He thought he'd try the straight thing but well, not everyone can have my way with the ladies.”

Merlin turned to look at Gwaine and couldn’t help smiling at Gwaine's expression. “Really? And how does Morgana feel about that?”

“Morgana thinks he's all mouth and no trousers,” Morgana said, re-entering the room and running her fingers abstractedly through Gwaine's hair as she went past. Gwaine grabbed her hand and kissed it, and she laughed and swatted at him.

“Idiot,” she said fondly.

Merlin found himself beaming at the both of them, wondering how on earth he'd got himself here in the first place.

“I really have to go collect my things,” Merlin said.

“Right, let me just grab my keys,” Morgana said, dumping dirty plates in the sink.

“Keys?” Merlin asked.

“I think they're on the bed side table,” Gwaine said, ignoring Merlin.

“Right,” Morgana replied, also ignoring the confused look Merlin was shooting at them both, “and we should pop to the shops too. We're nearly out of milk.”

Gwaine nodded and took a magnetic notepad off the fridge. “I'll start a list.”

“Hang on,” Merlin said, “what are you talking about?”

“Do you have anywhere to stay?” Gwaine asked.

“Well, I could – um - “

“Exactly. We have a spare room and a car. We'll help you move your stuff here. Sorted? Great. Your shoes are in the living room. No idea where you put your coat though. Be ready to go in ten.”

Merlin stood perfectly still for several seconds, then he slowly nodded to himself and went to find the rest of his clothes. Somehow he didn't imagine Gwaine or Morgana were going to take no for an answer. And until he worked out a better excuse than “I barely know you”, he didn’t really have a leg to stand on.

* * * * * *

As planned, Will was out when they got to the flat. Merlin went up alone at first, just in case, though he could tell that Gwaine was itching to deal with Will if he saw him and Merlin allowed himself a small smile. He hardly knew them and yet here they were, willing to help.

He didn’t really have many belongings here – most of his stuff was still in his old room at his Mum's, so he didn't think it would take long to pack. He headed to the bedroom first and pulled out his suitcase from under the bed, carefully not thinking about why the bed was looking so ruffled and unmade. He made a pile of all his clothes on the bed and then allowed himself to be pushed aside as Morgana came in and began to pack them away for him.

He and Gwaine then went to the living room and while Merlin made a pile of his books and CD’s, Gwaine packed them neatly in boxes. They worked in companionable silence as Merlin rifled through drawers to remove old photo albums and took down paintings from the walls he'd found at car boots and charity shops – his favourite was of on old wizard dressed in purple robes with his hand outstretched, as if casting a spell right out of the picture. Gwaine only raised an eyebrow at it before taking it down to the car.

Merlin tackled the kitchen next. Many of the items had been purchased by the both of them, but it seemed too tacky, somehow, to remove pots and pans and plates. So he just took his mug with “World's Best Sorcerer” written around the rim, and his coffee machine, which Will knew perfectly well that he could barely function without.

He glanced around but couldn't see anything that shouted out “mine” to him. It was depressing really, how his life was represented by just a few boxes.

“Better that you live your life than surround yourself with meaningless things,” Morgana said, rightly judging where his thoughts had been going. “I think it says a lot about a person who doesn’t have a lot of possessions. Arthur's possessions could probably fill fifteen times as many boxes...” She drifted off at the look on Merlin's face. “Right, that probably didn't help much did it?”

“No,” Merlin said, with a smile, “so I'll just pretend I didn't hear the second part. The first part was good though.”

Morgana laughed. “As Gwaine will tell you, I read too many advice columns. Come on, let's get you settled back at home.”

Merlin flushed at the thought and then again as Morgana pulled him into a hug.

“I do appreciate this,” he said, once Morgana had finally let him go. “I'll take you both out to lunch.”

“You don't have to, you know. We're old friends.”

Merlin smiled. Now she was closer it was so obvious that she was the little girl with pigtails who'd chased him around their tree house castle with a wooden spoon, pretending it was a sword and she was defending King Arthur from the evil dragon.

“I'd like to,” he said. “I really would.”

* * * * * *

Merlin, Morgana and Gwaine settled into a comfortable routine, once Merlin was unpacked in their spare room. They'd all go into the city centre together – Merlin to his graphic design internship, Morgana to her job as PA to a corporate director and Gwaine to the temp agency he was signed with (“I don't like to settle anywhere for too long,” he'd explained when Merlin had asked). Sometimes they'd meet for lunch, but more often than not Merlin spent his lunchtimes at the library, working on his end of year portfolio and sometimes looking for a part-time job. Morgana had assured him that he didn't need to pay any kind of rent, but he still felt bad about it, and put aside what little of his student loan he could to help out with the bills.

And all the time he thought about Arthur.

They hadn't seen each other since that night. Whenever Morgana invited him over or out for drinks he claimed to be too busy or that he had wedding arrangements to make. Gwaine had muttered some choice words about that, but Morgana had retreated to her bedroom with her phone and wouldn't tell them what she was planning.

Merlin thought he was going a little bit mad when the drawings that were supposed to be advertising for a credit card company, turned into little chibis that looked remarkably like Arthur.

“Those are cute,” Gwaine said, and Merlin jumped at least a foot in the air. “Sorry,” Gwaine laughed, but he didn't look at all sorry to Merlin.

“Er, thanks,” Merlin replied, leaning over the kitchen table where he'd taken to working so that Gwaine couldn’t catch a glimpse of the rest of them.

“You know, this company I'm temping at have just got a big new contract.”

“Oh?” Merlin asked, not really paying attention. He was too busy packing away his things instead, though he did hear the exaggerated sigh that Gwaine gave.

“Yeah. You know, BrightSparks? The biggest advertising company in England?”

“You're working at BrightSparks?” Merlin asked. And then winced as the look on Gwaine's face told him that he really ought to have known that. “Sorry.”

Gwaine shook his head, hair falling about his face. “And this contract means they've got money in the budget for two more permanent positions. If you were interested?”

Merlin's jaw dropped. BrightSparks was the company that _every_ graphic designer wanted to work for. Which meant the competition would be fierce. He closed his mouth and shook his head.

“I'd never even get an interview.”

“Don't talk rubbish,” Morgana said, and Merlin found himself jumping again, not having heard her approach. “You're brilliant, and anyone who can't see that is a fool.”

“But I -”

“No buts,” Gwaine interrupted. “I'm going to print off an application form and we're going to hold off on dinner until you've filled it out.”

Merlin tried to find something to say, but nothing would come out. Instead he watched as Gwaine disappeared into his room and Morgana sat down opposite him.

“When you've done that you can help me with dinner,” she said. “We're having guests.”

* * * * * *

Of course, Merlin sighed, as he helped Morgana serve up the soup they'd settled on as a first course, the guests would have to include Arthur. And judging by the startled expression on Arthur's face, Morgana had told him that Merlin would be out.

So here he was, sitting across the table from Arthur and his fiancée Freya, with Gwen and Lance (who were apparently on their fourth official date tonight) making up the other pairing. He was feeling decidedly like an extra wheel.

“So, Merlin, what is it you do?” Freya asked around a mouthful of bread.

“I'm uh, doing a graphic design internship at the minute. Only got a few weeks to go and then, well, I guess I'll see what turns up.”

“You draw?”

“Yeah, and computer design stuff too. A bit of advertising lingo when I need to.”

“He's really very talented,” Morgana told them. “And he's applying for a job at Bright Sparks”.

“Really?” Arthur asked. He paused with the spoon half-way to his lips. “We hire out a lot of work to them. They're good.”

Merlin looked uncomfortable. “Well, there's no harm in applying, right?”

Arthur jerked in his seat and Merlin rather thought that was due to a swift kick from Morgana. “Of course. You always were drawing.”

“I still can't believe you all used to be friends,” Gwen said. “You must have been adorable together.”

Morgana smiled. “You know, I'm sure there are photos somewhere...”

Merlin and Arthur glanced at each other with the same look of exasperation and something that had been coiled up in Merlin's stomach started to loosen. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

“Why did you fall out of touch?” Freya asked.

“Merlin moved away,” Arthur said. Merlin looked up in surprise. “Well, you did.”

Merlin shook his head. “Gaius just said we wouldn't be visiting any more.”

There was a strained silence before Gwaine started pouring everyone more wine.

* * * * * *

“So you don't know why Gaius took you away?” Arthur asked. He had sidled up to Merlin as he stared out of the window in the living room. The others were still around the kitchen table, though instead of eating this time they were playing a rather heated game of monopoly.

Merlin turned to face him and found that Arthur was _rightthere_ , close enough that their breath mingled. “No,” he whispered. “He never said and I...I didn't know how to ask.”

Arthur nodded sadly, then put his knuckles up to Merlin's cheek and gently stroked it. “I feel like that all the time.”

“Arthur...” Merlin whispered, but Arthur leaned forward and captured his mouth in a soft kiss that had his heart hammering in his chest.

“I haven't been able to get you out of my head.”

“You're getting married,” Merlin said, resting his forehead against Arthur’s.

“It isn't real.”

“It's real enough,” Merlin replied. “I won't do this. Be your bit on the side.”

Arthur moved forward and put his arm around Merlin's waist, pulling him closer. “You'd be so much more than that.” He started to nibble at Merlin's ear, and for a moment Merlin closed his eyes and let him. Then he stepped away and put his hands on Arthur's chest.

“If you can't stand up to your father about _this_ , what else won't you do?”

Arthur took a step back, as if he'd been hit.

Merlin tried to talk, to say something else, but Arthur was turning and leaving. And Merlin had no idea what he was going to do next.

* * * * * *

Morgana sat next to a morose Merlin and put her arms around him. Gwaine did the same on the other side.

“Arthur's an idiot,” Gwaine said. “You deserve better.”

Merlin shrugged. His faith in his own desirability was at an all time low.

“He's always wanted to please Uther. Usually to the detriment of his own happiness,” Morgana explained. “But his heart is generally in the right place.”

“I'm heading to bed,” Merlin said, and he slipped out from between them. Tomorrow he'd feel like talking about it, but right now he just wanted to be on his own.

* * * * * *

Merlin tried not to think about Arthur's impending wedding. The hardest thing was that Merlin had really enjoyed talking to Freya at dinner – they had a shared love of the Impressionists that had surprised Arthur – and he actually hoped that her move to the UK worked out. He just wished that his own heart didn't have to suffer quite so much.

Morgana had been roped in as a bridesmaid - “At least with Freya designing the dress herself I know I won't be wearing a blancmange” - and Gwaine had been recruited as one of the usher's. Lance was the best man.

“You should come,” Gwen told Merlin, when there were only two days to go. “Show there are no hard feelings.”

Merlin stared at her incredulously. “But there _are_ hard feelings.”

“Then let him see what he's missing out on,” she said. “But do you really want to destroy any chance you have of being friends?”

“I think Arthur managed that all on his own.”

Gwen sighed and looked like she was going to argue, but then forced herself not to. She always hated it when her friends didn't get along, and now that she and Lance were an actual couple (“he gave me a red rose, Merlin. A rose!”) she was part of Arthur's inner circle.

“I'm not going to the wedding, Gwen,” Merlin said. But off Gwen's forlorn expression he added, “I'll go to the reception, though.”

Gwen kissed him on the cheek. “You're a good man, Merlin.”

Merlin turned back to his computer. “Yeah, well, I've got that interview tomorrow and I really need to finish this, so.”

“Okay,” Gwen said, “I can take a hint. I'm going with Morgana to her last dress fitting anyway.” She paused before she left and ruffled Merlin's hair until he laughed and swatted at her hand. “Good luck tomorrow. We'll have a drink to celebrate when you're done.”

“I haven't got the job yet,” Merlin protested.

“No,” said Gwen, “but you will.”

* * * * * *

When Merlin reached into the inside pocket of his jacket after the interview he found a tiny carved dragon and a scribbled note “For luck, A”. He had no idea how Arthur had managed to get it there, but it had clearly worked, as ten minutes later Merlin received a phone call and was told that the job was his.

* * * * * *

“This is a really bad idea,” Merlin said. That didn't stop him from downing yet another shot with Gwaine though, or smiling flirtatiously at the barman.

“We're celebrating,” Gwaine said, enthusiastically giving the side of Merlin's head a sloppy kiss. “Your job, Arthur's wedding. And, speak of the devil...” Gwaine spun on the bar stool and was only saved from ignominiously falling to the floor by Arthur’s quick reflexes.

“You two have started early,” Arthur said. He sounded amused and was smiling at them both, his eyes crinkling in a way that Merlin fought hard not to find attractive.

“Merlin got the job!” Gwaine announced. Then he spotted Morgana and bounded off in her direction.

“Sorry,” Merlin said. “I seem to have hijacked your stag night.”

Arthur shrugged. “I'm happy for you.”

“The dragon helped,” Merlin said. He pulled the figurine out of his pocket and waved it in front of Arthur's face before returning it to his pocket.

Arthur looked an endearing mixture of pleased and embarrassed. “I’m glad.”

Merlin motioned for the barman to pour two more shots, but put a hand up to stop Arthur from sitting down. Arthur watched, amused, as Merlin downed one shot and then stood up.

“This is a hotel bar,” Merlin said. Arthur nodded and tried not to laugh. “Which means there are beds upstairs.” Arthur gave a sharp intake of breath, and watched with interest as Merlin drank the last shot and pulled Arthur into a kiss, passing the drink between them.

Arthur flailed for a moment, not sure where to put his hands.

“I thought we weren't doing this,” Arthur panted, once Merlin's lips had left his.

“We aren't,” Merlin replied. Then he grabbed Arthur's shirt and started to pull him towards the reception area.

Merlin wasn't sure what Arthur said to explain away their urgent need for a room, but ten minutes later they were in the lift on the way to their own room, pulling at each other's clothes.

“ _Need,_ ” Merlin growled, as he bit and sucked at Arthur's neck.

“Anything,” Arthur responded, grabbing at every part of Merlin that he could reach, urging their bodies together.

“You,” Merlin gasped, between kisses. “Need you...”

Arthur nodded and as the lift pinged open he pushed Merlin towards their room. They fumbled for precious moments with the key card before finally the door unlocked.

Once inside they wasted no time in tearing each others clothes off, Arthur only pausing to retrieve a condom and some lube from his pocket.

Merlin was going to make a crack about Boy Scouts when Arthur’s mouth was suddenly around his cock and all coherent thoughts vanished from his mind.

Instead he shifted back a little on the bed, giving himself and Arthur more room to manoeuvre.

“I feel like your haunting me,” Arthur murmured. He started pressing kisses to Merlin's thighs and up to his chest. “I've tried not think about you, but I can't. The way you taste, the way you move. Your ridiculous hair...”

“Hey,” Merlin protested. Arthur kissed him quiet though and Merlin decided to conserve his energy for reaching up and grabbing a pillow. He caught Arthur's attention long enough for him to put the pillow under Merlin, elevating him just enough so that they'd both be comfortable.

“Arthur, come _on_ ,” Merlin urged. He was just about prepared to beg when Arthur disappeared between his legs and began to lick inside of him.

“Oh god!” Merlin shouted. “What are you...”

Merlin lost all power of speech as Arthur's cock began to push inside of him, sending waves of pleasure through him.

Merlin almost sobbed when Arthur was fully inside of him, and scratched at his back, trying to get him to move. Instead, Arthur leaned down and kissed him – hard and possessive – and Merlin melted, just holding on to Arthur's strong arms as Arthur pounded into him, not letting up for a moment.

Merlin's orgasm came quickly, his body spasming and dragging Arthur along with him. They both cried out and Arthur collapsed on their bed, having just enough strength to move to the side to ensure that he didn’t squash Merlin.

Merlin wanted to say how amazing Arthur was and that really, being the other person in Arthur's marriage might not be so bad.

Instead he fell asleep, his eyes falling closed despite his best efforts to keep them open. He did think, though, as he drifted off, how nice it was to have Arthur pressed against him, carding his fingers through Merlin's hair.

* * * * * *

When Merlin woke on the morning of Arthur's wedding, he did so to an empty bed. His head was pounding, but not enough to cancel out his disappointment.

He dressed as best he could, although his hands were shaking. He couldn't tell whether that was due to the alcohol still in his system or Arthur's impending fate, but he did feel a lot better after a trip to the bathroom to throw up.

When Merlin came out he saw that Arthur had left him a glass of water and a packet of paracetamol.

“Well,” he said aloud to the empty room, “I guess I'm going to the wedding after all.”

* * * * * *

The church and its surroundings was as ostentatious as most things the Pendragon's did. There were flowers everywhere, several professional photographers dodging amongst the large crowd, not to mention the doves in cages by the entrance which were just waiting to be released.

Merlin had gone home to change into something that stank less of alcohol. In Merlin's case that meant wearing the only suit he owned – the one he'd worn to his interview.

He had intended to keep to the sidelines and just gatecrash, but that idea went completely out of the window when Gwen spotted him and dragged him – almost kicking and screaming – into the church to sit next to her.

“I'm so glad you came! What changed your mind?”

Merlin shrugged and Gwen narrowed her eyes.

“You _didn't?”_ She looked more excited than disappointed, and leaned up to give some sort of strange hand signal to Lance, who'd just appeared at the front of the church. Lance grinned and gave a thumbs up.

Merlin frowned and was about to ask Gwen what the hell was going on, when he spotted Arthur, and his mouth went dry.

Arthur looked amazing. His silver-grey suit fitted him like a glove and his hair was adorably mussed. Merlin's fingers twitched, remembering how Arthur's hair had felt between them. Remembering Arthur's touch.

“I can't do this,” he hissed at Gwen, suddenly panicking and finding it hard to breathe.

“Well you can't leave now!” Gwen hissed back. She grabbed his arm to stop him moving away as the Wedding March began to play.

“Just remember you only have yourself to blame if I throw up over you.”

“Don't you dare. This dress cost me a fortune.”

“Oh, yeah, you look amazing,” Merlin said, realising that she really did look fantastic, her red dress emphasising all her curves in just the right way. Gwen just rolled her eyes at him.

* * * * * *

Merlin had a very hard time not twitching in his seat as the wedding proceeded. He could barely keep his eyes off Arthur, and he didn’t know why he was there, except he apparently enjoyed torturing himself.

Merlin drowned out most of the words, trying to enter a Zen state like Gwen when she did her yoga, but he knew deep down it was useless.

There was an anxious hush as the congregation were asked if there was anyone who had an objection to the marriage, and Merlin found himself staring at Arthur's back, willing something to happen.

“I do,” Arthur said, voice carrying clearly. “I object.”

The crowd shifted, all but Merlin, who couldn't move, couldn't do anything but stare at Arthur.

“I'm sorry Freya, Father, but I can't do this. I'm in love with someone else. “

“That's you,” Gwen said, elbowing Merlin in the ribs. “Stand up.”

“I can't,” Merlin said.

At the front Arthur's father, Uther, was angrily gesticulating at his son, but Freya was giving him a big hug.

“Merlin, _stand up_ ,” Gwen said. Then she pinched him, hard, and he jumped up in his seat. All eyes were suddenly on him and he slowly stood up fully, not sure if he wanted the ground to swallow him up or if he wanted Arthur to acknowledge him in front of everyone.

“You?” Uther demanded. “I should have known you’d be involved in this.”

Arthur and Merlin's expressions were mirror images of confusion.

“Uther,” Gaius said in warning, standing up so that Merlin could see he'd been there all along. “You cannot blame Merlin.”

“Don't think I don't realise your part in all this.”

“Uther, please...I did as you asked, I took Merlin away.”

“What?” Merlin and Arthur asked at the same time.

Gaius turned to Merlin and sadly shook his head. “I thought it was for the best. To protect you as much as anything.”

“But...why?” Arthur asked. “Why would you...?” He turned to his father, utterly bewildered.

Uther growled low in his throat. “Nimueh,” he said. “She was your mother's best friend. She fancied herself as a psychic. Told me you and Merlin were destined to be together.” Uther sneered in Merlin's direction. “How could I let that happen?”

“How could you not?” Arthur asked. “I _love_ him.”

Merlin took a step back and was only saved from slumping to the floor by Gwen's tight grip around his waist, as she stood up to steady him.

“I love you,” Arthur said, turning towards Merlin. “It doesn't matter if you don't...”

“Of course, of course I do,” Merlin said. “Idiot.”

Arthur was moving down the aisle now and Merlin went towards him, as if he was being pulled by a string. They stared at each other for a beat, the only two people in the world, and then they kissed, and the majority of the congregation cheered and clapped.

* * * * * *

After a hurried ten minute conversation with the vicar it emerged that Morgana had suspected something like that was going to happen. So she'd asked Freya to design her a bridesmaid dress that would easily double as a wedding dress and she and Gwaine would get married in Arthur's stead. (“Shame to let this all go to waste, even if it is a little garish for my tastes. Besides, the vicar was in on it.”)

Arthur had muttered something about not realising he was that predictable, but his hand was still firmly grasped in Merlin’s, so Merlin chose to ignore his complaining.

Instead they sat side by side as Morgana and Gwaine got married and Gwen made all the right cooing noises as they sealed their vows with a kiss that seemed to go on and on. Uther had disappeared and Gaius had gone after him, but not before promising that he would be back for the reception.

“I'm sorry,” Merlin whispered. “I didn't mean to cause trouble between you and your father.”

Arthur gave a bitter laugh. “It's hardly your fault. Besides, Morgana was right, it's time he saw me for my own man, not just an extension of the Pendragon empire.”

“Come on,” Gwen said, as suddenly there was movement everywhere. “Morgana might forgive you for not paying attention to her wedding, but she won't let you get out of the bouquet tossing.”

Reluctantly Arthur and Merlin joined the others, who were all eagerly jostling each other for position.

Of course, Merlin was the one who succeeded.


End file.
